Live: EU seeks 'immediate action' in rape cases in India

Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad Yadav Friday while demanding death punishment for the perpetrators of the Delhi gang-rape and murder, mentioned the name of the victim.

"I went to meet the family of the victim in Ballia (Uttar Pradesh) and the father related how the young girl was subjected to barbarism. He revealed his daughter's name to me," said Lalu before mentioning the name of the victim to the audience.

"So long as a rape victim is alive you cannot mention her name, but in this case she is no more," added Prasad while addressing an interactive programme on women's empowerment organised by the FICCI Ladies Organisation here.

6. 00 pm

EU seeks 'immediate action' in rape cases in India

The European Parliament, which follows a very intrusive policy in international affairs, has demanded "immediate action" to improve the handling of rape and sexual assault cases by police in India.

EuAsiaNews said parliament members regretted the lack of assistance for victims and called for open trials in cases of sexual violence in India. The parliament said this during the passing of a resolution at a session held in the French city of Strasbourg where it is located.

India was rocked by the brutal gang-rape and subsequent death of a 23-year-old woman paramedical student in New Delhi in December. Crowds of outraged students staged massive protests near the president's official residence and other places in the capital city and across the country.

The European Parliament resolution condemned "all form of sexual violence, with a specific reference to the treatment of Dalit women and girls"

It welcomed the "great wave of solidarity" with rape victims in India and other countries and hoped it would help speed up the necessary reforms.

"As a democratic partner of the European Union, India must uphold the rule of law and ensure respect for fundamental and human rights, in particular women's rights," the resolution said.

4.30 pm:

Pakistan envoy Salman Bashir tells CNN IBN that it is premature to talk about a probe into the LoC killings. The two countries need to de-escalate tensions at the border first.

3.45 pm:

Complaint against student for circulating anti-Mamata cartoon

A police complaint was filed against a college student here today for sharing cartoons of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on his Facebook account.

Choudhury, who is a second year student of a college in Salt Lake area and an activist of CPI(M) students wing SFI, said the cartoon criticised Banerjee's industry growth agenda and the arrest of a poor farmer after allegedly branding him as Maoist.

The way we still treat widows, the trafficking of children, brazen sexual harassment are very disturbing trends

On women: New programmes have been formed, new laws have been made active

No other country faces the challenge of 1 crore youth looking for jobs every year

Discrimination against girl child continues in India

2.40 pm:

I should get justice: Kerala fisherman's widow

With the Supreme Court Friday ruling that the Kerala government has no independent jurisdiction to try two Italian marines for shooting dead two Indian fishermen off the Kerala coast last year, one of the fishermen's wife said she will let the court decide on her justice.

"I have lost everything and hence I have no opinion to say on this new ruling. Let the court decide and I should get justice," said Dora Gelastine, wife of fishermen Gelastine, 45.

Congress workers want Rahul Gandhi to play a "pre-dominant" role in the party but the young leader should not be pressurised, Digvijay Singh said today.

"The sentiment of Congress worker is that he plays a larger and predominant role in the Congress party," the senior leader told PTI, virtually setting the tone for the three-day conclave.

His remarks come ahead of the Chintan Shivir beginning this afternoon and the AICC meet that will follow on Sunday to determine the future course of action for Congress as it prepares for the 2014 Lok Sabha elections.

Delhi gangrape: SC admits petition seeking juvenile accused be considered as an adult

The Supreme Court issued a notice to the Centre and the Delhi Police admitting a plea to consider the juvenile in the Delhi gang rape as an adult, CNN IBN reports

According to the report, a Chandigarh-based lawyer filed a PIL seeking that the juvenile accused in the gangrape case be considered as an adult. The PIL stated that the mental age, and not the physical age, of the accused should be taken into consideration, as he had been involved in such a heinous crime.

The president summoned a session of the lower of Pakistan's parliament on the advice of Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf Jan 21, a President House release said. The session, to be held at 4 p.m., will deliberate on the political situation prevailing in the country.

11.45 am:

Two Italian Marines, charged with killing two Indian fishermen, today lost their Supreme Court bid to be tried on home soil after the top court ordered that a special court should be set up for the trial, media reports said.

The Supreme Court said that Kerala does not have the jurisdiction over the two Italian Marines - Massimiliano Latorre and Salvatore Girone - and that it should consult the Chief Justice of India before setting up the special court.

The marines were arrested on February 19 last year for shooting to death two Indian fishermen from merchant vessel 'Enrica Lexie' off Alapuzha coast, 'mistaking' them for Somali pirates.

The "serious" prison sentence for Pakistani-Canadian Tahawwur Rana should send a tough message to all individuals planning to indulge in any direct or indirect terrorist activities that they cannot escape detection and punishment, US prosecutors said on Friday.

Army chief General Bikram Singh would pay a visit to the family members of martyr Lance Naik Sudhakar Singh at his native Dadhiya village in Sidhi district of Madhya Pradesh on January 18.

Minister of State for Defence Jitendra Singh would also accompany General Singh, official sources said in Sidhi.

A special team of Army has already reached here to prepare for the General's trip, they said.On January 8, the two soldiers -- Lance Naiks Sudhakar Singh and Hemraj Singh were killed near the LoC by Pakistani troops. The jawans belonged to 13 Rajputana Rifles.

10.15 am:

US recognises Somali government

The US has officially recognised the Somali government in Mogadishu after more than two decades.

"There is still a long way to go and many challenges to confront, but we have seen a new foundation for that better future being laid," US State Secretary Hillary Clinton said Thursday during a joint press conference with Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, who is in Washington on a visit.

"And today, we are taking an important step toward that future. I am delighted to announce that for the first time since 1991, the United States is recognising the Government of Somalia," Clinton said.

9.25 am:

Pak bashing has become fashionable, says Salman Bashir

The Pakistan High Commissioner to India Salman Bashir has reiterated that Pakistan had nothing to do with the killings of the two Indian soldiers on January 8, reports CNN IBN. He also said that clear instructions have been given to the Pakistani Army to observe a ceasefire.

Salman Bashir also maintained that the Director General of Military Operations of both the nations are in constant contact.

He also called for a dialogue between the two countries saying that both need to make contact.

He further hit out at India, saying, "I must say Pakistan bashing has become fashionable in India whenever there is an issue," adding, "we should get out of this mode".

9.10 am:

Diesel price hiked by 45 paise; petrol price cut by 25 paise

Oil companies have raised diesel prices by 45 paise per litre after a go ahead from the Centre. Sources say up to 50 paise hike will take place every month, according to CNN-IBN.

This amounts to nearly Rs 6 every year.

The good news -- petrol prices, which were only earlier this week hiked by 35 paise, will come down by 25 paise per litre.

The new prices will be effective from today.

8.20 am:

Lance Armstrong admits to doping, says couldn't have done it without it

Lance Armstrong confessed to using performance-enhancing drugs to win the Tour de France during an interview with Oprah Winfrey, reversing more than a decade of denial.

"Yes," Armstrong said when Winfrey asked if he used a series of drugs to help his record run.

Said Armstrong: "I made my decisions. They are my mistake."

Sitting in a chair across from Winfrey, Armstrong said he could not have won the race seven times without the drugs and gave a small smile.

Armstrong was stripped of all his titles in the wake of a U.S. Anti-Doping Agency report last October and banned for life from competing in triathlons and other sanctioned events. He also lost nearly all his sponsors and left the Livestrong cancer charity he founded in 1997.

Algerian helicopters and special forces stormed a gas plant in the stony plains of the Sahara to wipe out Islamist militants and free hostages from at least 10 countries.

The Algerian media has said that the army operation launched to rescue national and foreign hostages seized by Islamist gunmen at the Tigentourine gas complex, which reportedly left dozens dead, is now over.

7.30 am:

Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy is likely to give the Congress' brainstorming session beginning Friday at Jaipur a miss. The reason? He is not quite comfortable in north Indian winter.

The 'Chintan Shivir' will end with the All India Congress Committee meeting Sunday.

A source close to Chandy said that his doctor had told him that with his sore throat, it would not be a great idea to set out to Jaipur.

"His throat is bad, and with the weather in Jaipur so cold, his doctor said he had better just stay here," a source close to the chief minister said, requesting anonymity.